I dont want summer to end! The first to go in for me are the Plumerias and those go in on really rainy or cool days starting around early/mid october. I only do that for the plumerias that are in bloom since I want to keep them blooming for as long as possible! Usually I manage to keep the frost tender plants outside until early November and I can probably keep my Queen palm, Potted Oleanders, Livistonia, potted pindo, Sago Palm, and a few others which will stay outside until about early December if the weather cooperates.
The good thing about the fall cool down is that its slow along the coast, but you can tell by that wind in the air (and the dry air, heavy and cool morning fog, ect..) when fall is here! I dont know how people like the season. To me its just a season that gets worse and worse.
-Alex

I love fall because of the color changes and football. It also is a nice break if you've had a hot summer. That said I have no use for winter. i hate cold weather and it is just so long arounf here. It rains all month in November and u really don't see any kind of warm weather until April and that's a day here and there. As we saw this year May can sometimes be a stinker too.

We're very lucky being on the Ocean and mouth of Delaware Bay. We have a loooooong beautiful fall that lasts almost to Christmas. The ocean temps peak around 80 over Labor Day and keep mild all fall. That really moderates our temps for so long. Those of us along the beaches often don't see our first frost until mid November, whereas just a few miles inland they can get frost weeks earlier.

Love the fall here, but we don't get all the great foliage like PA, NJ, VA and New England.

I have been thinking of starting to do the same. Usually, I water in some imidacloprid starting around now. But, I have heard that it may actually encourage mites. So I hit them topically for that, too...

Andyandy - what kind of systemic granules do you use?

Thanks.

Tom

Tom-
It's just what i found at English Gardens (local Michigan chain of nurcerys). I'll write down the name and post it. It works for mites, scale, aphids, and some others. I actually noticed some really tiny black things on the newest frond on My tall coconit that showed up the day after the treatment. They may be something that came out of the soils because of the poisen. I don't see any damage that they may have done. My dwarf coconut on the other hand had some serious damage done by what ai quite certain were earwigs. Hopefully this stuff will wotk on them.

Busy cleaning and prepping their Winter retreat, but most of them won't be protected until late November or December. Fall is generally very mild and the drop off in temps to the point of frost is usually very gradual. I just planted my annuals on August 1, in fact. And today, I came home with a really nice 6-7 foot Queen palm (already have two 10 footers). I couldn't resist, they were reduced to half price for 'end of season' . It's been a hot, sunny summer so far but I am lovin' the heavy, tropical rains of recent days--drought just SUCKS (ask Texas). I love the Autumn though--everybody is back to school and work and yet we get the most perfect weather of the year.

As a lifelong beach dweller/clamdigger, I'll take an endless Summer. But that would mean moving much farther South, an option just not in the cards right now. Most of my tropicals go untreated and inside around mid November. Don't seem to have a problem with mites, but I'm always misting everything. Bananas are cut back and covered by December, and the Windmill just grins and bears it. One thing...when we went on vacation back in March, I foolishly left some tropicals outside with the insane belief that a week or so of mild weather was headed our way. Day after we left, the temps dropped and we had some snow. Upon returning I saw my old and large Majesty on its side looking quite sick. Was a little bummed as I've had this thing for so long and it has always done well inside and out. Well, instead of just tossing it, I planted it in full sun near my little koi pond and it's coming back with a vengeance. Was going to leave it to the whims of Mommy Nature, but I think I'm gonna dig this guy up and get him inside as well when the time comes...

No fall preps here yet. Usually don't even think about that until the end of September. My tenders (Plumeria, Pigmy Dates) come in in late October or early November, and my Sago Palms come in usually mid December. I really am torn between spring, summer, and fall as my favorites. I think Spring and Fall are equal for #1. Just so beautiful and active seasons. Summer, especially like the one we are having this year, well, its often just too hot and things just stay the same for a long time. Same with winter, only its cold.

September is mainly just another hot summer month here. Seeing 90s in September is fairly normal, but we can also see nighttimes in the 50s at times too. I think October is our biggest month of change from beginning to end. It is probably one of, if not the most beautiful weather months here in the DC area as well. Crisp cool nights in the 50s, and nice warm days in the upper 70s to low 80s. It can and does get HOT now and then, and it also can and does get cold now and then. We have seen temps in the 20s at night in the very last days of October, but that is only once in a while. Usually our first frost is after Nov 1 as well.

As for tree color, well, it often is fairly spectacular around here, and the mountains just to the west rival anything anywhere. The farther west you go and the higher the elevation the earlier the change happens, and the more spectacular the colors are. Above 4,000 feet is where all the quaking aspens grow, along with the Red Spruce forests and the combination of the two in the fall is simply stunning! I prefer to go leaf peeping along the Eastern Continental Divide in eastern WV which is 4 to 5,000 feet in elevation. Its BEAUTIFUL there. Looks more like Maine or Cananda there. Fall comes much earlier there. Mid to late Sept, and frost occurs there every month of the year. First snows hit around late Sept, and last snows occur in May or June. The leaf peeping there is much more pleasant than in the Blue Ridge. Along Skyline Drive its constantly backed up, and sometimes there is a 15/20 minute wait to get into an "overlook" and almost every trail head has no parking available at all. Its Not exactly "getting away". Go into eastern WV, and the crowds are 50% less. Much more pleasant.

I honestly don't think I could live in a place that did not have the 4 seasons, or was far from any real mountains (over 4,000 feet). But I also don't want to live somewhere were winters are brutal and last into may either. I also happen to like snow. At least if its frigid, snow is something to look at. When its 104 with 98% humidity, there is nothing to look at except plants wilting in the heat, and a sky so hazy its often just milky white instead of blue. Each season to me has its own merits, and its own unique beauty. I guess I feel a bit fortunate that I'm able to see the beauty in each season, instead of feeling like I have to "suffer" trough any one.

For as much as I love my tropicals, I'm also equally in love with some Conifers, and do love the subalpine environs too. My 'winter garden' keeps me fairly happy and busy during the cold months as well. Here is a look at the "winter" garden. =o)